Later that evening, around 6 I saw 3 orcas heading up the west side of San Juan Island just north of False bay maybe 300 yards off shore (there may have been more, they were moving quickly), and saw 4 or 5 more from San Juan County Park at sunset around 8:30.
Kevin Marshall

Approx. 8:00 p.m. - surprised again by the K13s coming northbound, all passing in front of us by 8:20 but still visible to us at 8:30, back-dropped by the setting sun.
6:00 PM - here they come again, northbound orcas...Ls.
1:00 PM - From cabin at Land Bank, surprised by southbound whales, members of K and L pods.  They all streamed by 1/4-1/2 mile off shore, very spread out.
Alisa, ON

We were watching from a 200+ yard distance south of Lime Kiln were all of a sudden surrounded by Orcas. We cut our engines because it was unsafe to move. Two orcas changed paths to swim by us... maybe to show off the fish in the larger orcas mouth?...I don't have much experience with close up viewings, as you can tell from my reaction in the video (below). It really was one of the best days of my life. I would love to know who I met.
Lisa Kelly

Beautiful visit by two residents. Video by Lisa Kelly, August 19, 2015

I'm just returning home from a kayaking trip. I launched my boat from Washington Park around 12:15pm. By 12:45 I was surrounded by at least 20 whales...They were traveling a decent speed south, riding the ebbing current. Then, one enormous mature orca began bobbing up and down, and one very small orca jumped, followed by a number of other mature orcas jumping. Their crash on the water was heard like thunder claps up and down Rosario Straight.
Kevin Marshall

The J16s in Rosario Strait. Photo by Kevin Marshall, August 19, 2015 (ID by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Marine Naturalist & ON volunteer)

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8:00 pm - Two larger and two smaller orcas around Teece Point on South Pender Island. Feeding and rubbing backs along rocks.
Joel Gregg

Absolutely unreal evening on the water with Js, Ks, and Ls: Big groups of active whales slowly moving north in flat calm water with evening lighting - can't ask for better than that! At one point the J16s unexpectedly broke off and fanned out through all the boats watching - J42 Echo turned on her side as she passed along Serenity, then surfaced right off our stern! It was very special to be able to share this experience with my mom and my niece, too. We left them this evening off Spieden heading slowly north at 7:30.
Monika Wieland

Southern Residents northbound near Open Bay on Henry Island. Photo by Monika Wieland, August 18, 2015

It was one of those nights - just perfect out there, with members of all three pods slowly heading north. Here's J16 Slick, her youngest J50, and J42 Echo. Photo by Monika Wieland, August 18, 2015

Late afternoon - The J16s were toward the front of a very large group of whales, reportedly around 60 SRKWs. Families were very intermingled, and many individual members tended to just kill time playing in front of the lighthouse and in the kelp beds on the north side of the lighthouse while they waited for other family members to catch up. The entire passing was at least an hour. Magical.  
Ariel Yseth

J-50 and her family, the J16s, northbound past Lime Kiln Lighthouse. Photo by Ariel Yseth, August 18, 2015

5:35 p.m. VERY LOUD and active vocals on Orcasound right now!
5:15 p.m. VERY loud and active calls on Lime Kiln.
Kim Merriman

4:36 p.m. - Great clear vocals on LimeKiln right now.
Selena Rhodes Scofield

4:35 p.m. - Hearing them on the hydrophone!
Shelby Hight Fifield

4:00 pm -Afternoon northbound pass-by at Land Bank including a breach, a couple spyhops, and some above water vocalizations. Video by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, August 18, 2015

4:00 PM - From Land Bank, northbound whales. Amazing experience watching from the bluffs as they streamed by in large groups, stalling out in a line stretched from south LB to Lime Kiln, each group engaging in much surface activity (spyhops, breaches, tail lobs, tactile behaviors) and even heard above surface vocals on two occasions. Stunning! As is usually the case, this whole big beautiful clan of orcas was led by J2 (by a lot) who was more inshore than the others. The J16s were in shore as well but  this pass J26 was well ahead of his family traveling along with the leaders.
Alisa, ON

1:00 p. m. - We were watching whales at Land Bank thinking they were coming north, heard a blow to my right and the Ks and Ls blasted south past Lime Kiln. Wasn't even expecting them. Saw the L4s, L92, K13s, more offshore.
Sara Hysong-Shimazu

1:00 p.m. - from middle Land Bank we watched northbound whales coming from the south. Around 1:30 they were nearly even with us when Sara heard a blow, we looked to the north towards Lime Kiln and were surprised to see a whole bunch of whales coming our way. A very sweet surprise to watch these southbound whales (K13s, and some Ls) pass and meet up with the northbound group just south of us. They all then continued on their way to the south.
Alisa, ON

Good morning! Photos will never be able to do justice to some of the stuff we witnessed on the water ...Not only did we have orcas screaming down the four foot wake of a huge freighter for over 20 minutes (I have NEVER seen anything like it! RAW power!)...Then later caught up with the J16s and other orcas who were in quite the frisky mood - we watched the new babies catch "rocket rides" off the foreheads of adults - too funny!
Katie Jones

K33 Tika absolutely FLYING down the face of that freighter wake. Photo by Katie Jones, August 18, 2015

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I just got home from sunset tour with those J's & K's spread in family groups & a line from near land out into Juan de Fuca. We left them around Eagle Cove. Interesting there were transients out there to, nearer to Cattle Point & a group of 4 headed by Whale Rocks & Long Island, the other transients headed sw, I think. The J's & K's were chattering, so it makes me wonder & how the residents were moving in a line.
Caroline Armon

We left Js and Ks southbound off Hannah Heights around 7:15 tonight - they went up almost to Stuart Island before flipping. I can't believe those other Ks and Ls were MIA today!
Monika Wieland

J34 passing middle Land Bank and some friends on the rocks. Photo by Alisa Lemire Brooks, August 17, 2015

Spyhop during late afternoon southbound pass of Js and Ks. Taken from on the rocks at Land Bank on the west side of San Juan Island. Photo by Connie Bickerton, August 17, 2015

Cappuccino (K21) and Sonata (K35) swimming side by side in Haro Strait off the west side of San Juan Island. Many thanks to the Orca Behavior Institute for making it possible! Photo by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, August 17, 2015 (Taken with a 400mm lens and cropped)

Orcas were very spread out between Discovery Island and north San Juan Island, they met up and spent the afternoon at False Bay before turning back north passing closely by Lime Kiln around 4 pm.
Ariel Yseth

J-2 and J-14 at 40' from the Landbank. Photo by Ariel Yseth, August 17, 2015

1:50 to 2:30 p.m. - orcas in front of Lime Kiln. I heard echolocation and a few calls on the Lime Kiln hydrophone, and also saw them on the webcam. They headed north, and I heard them on the OrcaSound Lab hydrophone, but not well enough to identify the pod(s). Strangely, they were seemingly quiet directly in front of Lime Kiln. Perhaps it was just a hydrophone effect of the boat noise, but I don't think so.
Thanks and happy whale-watching.
Joshua Glant

...along the west side of San Juan Island where our Southern Resident orcas did not disappoint us. Many were traveling north along the shoreline, others further offshore. K-21 Cappuccino, K33, K26, J27, J34, J2, J28, L87 and many others were ID'd. Homeward bound we found bald eagles, a Tufted Puffin, and a giant bait ball with hundreds of birds with harbor seals feasting in the middle of the bait ball! A magical day for all .
Jill Hein, volunteer naturalist, Mystic Sea.

K21, he's a large beautiful whale! Photo by Jill Hein, August 17, 2015

Today, we found a minke just outside of Anacortes. Next, we spotted a pair of humpbacks south of San Juan Island.  After that, we headed north up San Juan Island and caught up with members of J & K pod as they continued north. A large group passed close to the rocks at Lime Kiln. Beautiful day spent with friends!
Rachel Haight

L to R: J31 Tsuchi, J19 Shachi, J27 Blackberry, J41 Eclipse, J51 Photo by Rachel Haight, August 17, 2015

L 87, Oynx, August 17, 2015, Land Bank, Westside, San Juan Island, WA...My day off! Photo by James Maya, August 17, 2015

1:00 p.m. - From Land Bank, watched all of J and K pods (minus K13s), led by J19,  aproach and pass northbound for over an hour. Initially in small groups spread out then tail-enders grouped up, closer to us on shore. Watched as they passed the lighthouse to the north.
Alisa, ON

Southern Resident Killer Whales, including the J16s, J17s, and J22s (Group B) approaching Land Bank. Video by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, August 17, 2015

6:40 am - from cabin at Land Bank, west side San Juan Island, first spotted an adult male to the south of us with another male, 3 females and a calf milling farther south and/or off shore. J26 came north, stalled even with us at about middle Land Bank, breached twice in front of an oncoming cabin cruiser, then continued north a bit closer to us. He then swam in wide circles several times (as if going after salmon), took some long dives, then turned and headed back south, joining up with his family (J16s), all in glassy waters of Haro Strait in the still of early morning.
Alisa, ON

6:30 am - What a beautiful way to start the day! Per-sunrise with the whales at Eagle Cove! At least two pods! Mamas and babies closer to shore in a tight group and many whales spread out as far as my eye can see looking across the strait with purple mountains as a backdrop! Several spy hops, lots of pec slaps and tail lobbing! It looked like the babies were trying to tail lob or do headstands, tiny little tails popping up next to the adults! Whales headed north past Eagle Point at 6:30 AM.
Lodie Laurieanne Gilbert Budwill

6:00 am - about 25 to 30 orcas very spread out in groups of 2 and 3 going from Eagle Point to False bay.  All had gathered slowly together by 9:00 and have come back in large, quiet groups of 6-10 in each group.  Only three breaches in the 3 hours.
Jenny Stands Wilson

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A heck of a lot of splashing going on today... After sailing through the San Juan Islands on yet another sun-filled morning, Mystic Sea encountered the K13's along with Crewser (L92) in a resting line off Henry Island. Once they resumed traveling northward the whales quickly picked up the pace with numerous cart-wheels, tail-slaps, spy-hops and double breaches creating LOTS of noise and HUGE splashes before tucking in close to the rocks foraging for salmon. Hopefully they found plenty to maintain healthy energy levels.
Sandra Pollard Naturalist

K13s and L92 off west side of San Juan Island and Henry Island. Photo by Sandra Pollard, August 16, 2015

K13s, L4s, L47s, L43s, and L26s - we caught up with them offshore in the middle of Haro in a resting line. They woke up at Kellett and were northbound from there at 2:15 p.m.
Monika Wieland

11:20 a.m. - Sightings just south of Semiahmoo, they were heading North, couldn't identify pod or numbers.
Suzann Gunderson Vincent

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One of the resident boys off Port Renfrew BC area. This fellow made 3 passes around the boat, it was incredible. This is a shot I could never recreate, taken right as he was about to turn. Photo by Deanna Brett, August 15, 2015

9:41 a.m. -  Chatter on Lime Kiln
Jill Clogston


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7:20 pm - Just saw a pod of 5-6 orcas (including 1-2 adult males) at the northern entrance of Active Pass, they came from straight of Georgia. Did a spy hop by green channel buoy, then hung out around the mouth of the pass, Appeared to be hunting in kelp a little bit
Then they all surfaced to breathe and disappeared. Not sure if they went in the Pass or not
Saw them from the ferry, it all happened over the past 30 minutes
Roland Flutet

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I forgot to report that on August 12th from about 5:30 PM to 6:05 PM, there were many orcas calling loudly on the Lime Kiln hydrophone! I heard echolocation, some S1s, a couple S2is, perhaps a few S16s, and many S36 calls. From that, I think I can conclude that members of J and K pods were in the vicinity of the hydrophone.
Joshua Glant 

T10B Photo by Traci Walter, August 20, 2015 (taken with 600mm lens)

10:50 AM - From cabin at Land Bank watched 3 TBigg's/Transients (later ID'd as T10 and her sons T10B, T10C) moving steadily northbound west of  mid Haro. For a short period I timed their surface and down times: surface time avg. 1.5-2 minutes; down times avg.  3-5 minutes. They were visible to us until they were north of Kelp reef marker.
Alisa, ON

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Day report: ...morning, we headed out in search of orcas. There had been a report by Lopez Island an hour before, so the search was on. We found the T065As tucked in shore on the west side of Blakely Island. They had recently made a kill as there was blood in the water. As we stopped on scene watching them, the family suddenly made a turn straight for us. They popped up right in front of the bow, one of them showing off some of their kill in its mouth right at the surface. They stayed right next to our boat for a few minutes while slowly drifting southwest. During this time, they created about 10 bubble rings beneath the surface (I have never seen this behavior, can anyone tell me how they do it? It almost looked like T065A2 was creating them with his flukes but I couldn't tell.) That was an absolute thrilling couple of minutes. We left them as they continued traveling south down the east side of Frost Island and Lopez Island. During the afternoon trip, we caught up with them again northwest of Blakely Island, and followed them for awhile as they continued west through the San Juan Islands. It was a beautiful day where I had a lot of fun just photographing the whales. The T065As never disappoint!
Rachel Haight

T065A2 Photo by Rachel Haight, August 19, 2015

T065A5 - In the foreground, you can see the remnants of one of the bubble rings. Photo by Rachel Haight, August 19, 2015

Older brother T065A2 next to one his younger siblings with the WSF parked at the Shaw Island ferry terminal. Photo by Rachel Haight, August 19, 2015

6:38 p.m. - Three orcas moving quickly, near Black Point 15 km east of Powell River.
Colin Palmer

2:50 p.m. - Some orcas, probably 4 or 5, traveling south very slowly. Spotted off NAS Whidbey Island.
Brady Ward

1:21 p.m. - 4 orca just south of Hastie Lake boat ramp, West side of Whidbey, traveling north.
Judy Dougherty

 I was out salmon fishing in front of my house on the morning of August 19, 2015 when 6 transient orcas came racing down the shoreline with the outgoing tide, headed north.  It was T37As and T124D and T124D1.  I dropped all my fishing gear and photographed the pod as they swam northward.  Eventually they circled and made a kill just north of the Coupeville/Port Townsend ferry traffic lanes, followed by lots of celebrating!  They breached, lunged, spyhopped, and tailslapped over and over before they continued northward.   As they neared Smith Island they went on the chase again, and caught a harbor seal.  I could see at least one other killer whale swimming  off in the distance during my visit, but it never came close enough to the others to see exactly  who it was.
Bart Rulon

Surprise encounter with members of the T37As and T124Ds. Photo by Bart Rulon, August 19, 2015

T37A and new calf T37A4 Photo by Bart Rulon, August 19, 2015

T37A or T124D Photo by Bart Rulon, August 19, 2015

11:45 a.m. - at least 4 whales seen from Libbey Beach, west side of Whidbey Island, mid channel, heading north. Whale watch boat is with them.
Jill Hein.

9:52 a.m. - Mike Waitt of Greenbank called to report 3 - 4 orcas including 1 calf, 1 mile south of Lagoon Pt, close in, 100 yards from shore.

9:40 a.m. -  Bonnie from the Bush Pt. Bed & Breakfast called to report 3 orcas REALLY close to shore, heading toward Lagoon Pt.

9:32 a.m. - Scott at Bush Pt. reported orcas north of Bush Pt, in the cove between Bush Pt. & Lagoon Pt.

9:29 am - Orcas feeding in circles off our bluff near Bush Point this morning, 3 or 4 of them.
Beth Warner

9:17 a.m. - Kathy O'Neil reported 3 orcas headed north at Bush Point, Admiralty Inlet.

6:35 a.m. -  6 or 7 orcas off of Eglon, hung out for 25 minutes feeding?, with tail slaps, spy hops. One baby. Heading north now closer to Kitsap side.
Rebecca French Gerke




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8:55 p.m. - Spotted a pod of around 6 Orcas off the Bremerton ferry terminal at  tonight riding the Bremerton - Port Orchard foot ferry.  They were slowly heading toward Gorst along the PSNS navy yard waterfront.  The skipper of the vessel said he thought there was a baby among the group.  It was becoming dark so could not take a phone photo or identify markings on the dorsal fins. They were about 50 yards off our port beam.  The skipper put the vessel out of gear and drifted to allow the pod to pass our position heading SW toward Gorst. I have lived in this area 60 years and have never seen an Orca in this area before!
Regards, Rick E Stingle

8:10 p.m. - Orcas (5 - 10) reported off the Illahee docks and Illahee State Park.
(no name given)

8:05 p.m. - Watching orcas heading south along shore across from Point White pier. Lots of breaching!
Sue Surowiec Larkin

8:03 p.m. - 5 orcas by Illahee Park in Port Orchard Bay heading toward Manette and Bremerton just now.
Joanne Baas

8:00 p.m. - Orcas were in front of Illahee State Park.
Claudia Hanson

7:34 p.m. -  a couple fins off Illahee.
Gwen Hall Detweiler

7:00 p.m. - the orcas probably 6 of them were easily viewed from the Illahee Dock, in Port Orchard Bay. They frolicked around for what seemed a long period of time as they headed towards Illahee State Park. A sight to see and enjoy!
Irwin Krigsman

7:00 p.m. - There was a group of 3-4 orcas spotted playing with a group of kayakers near Dyes Inlet in Bremerton, WA. They hung around for more than 30 minutes as they were heading towards the Port Orchard sound.
William Tucker

7:15 p.m. - update. Orcas reached Illahee dock in Kitsap and then turned around. Last reported heading south and east in Port Orchard Channel.
6:45 p.m. - orcas off Crystal Springs made it as far as Illahee dock and then turned south.
5:20 p.m. - Orcas just reported off of Crystal Springs -- south end of Bainbridge.
Susan Marie Andersson

Just spotted a pod of 5 or 6 orcas off of crystal springs drive south on Bainbridge Island (Point Drive). Playing around point White dock, just a bit north, staying put.
Janet Moody

5:00 p.m. - About 6 Orcas ... including a couple young ones moved North past Point White  dock (Bainbridge Island) this evening.
Scott Harrison

3:30 p.m. - An encounter we had of transients hunting dolphins in Lagoon Cove, BC up in the Broughton Archipelago.  A group of five transient orcas (1 male, 4 females) cornered and hunted over 100 pacific white-sides in a small cove up here, it was a dramatic encounter. Photo by Tim Cole, August 18, 2015

3:05 p.m. - Just spotted between Blake Island and Alki Point.
Cameron Quinn

2:15 p.m. - They are between southend of Bainbridge and Alki- near the yellow buoy
Jennifer Farley

1:55 p.m. - Maia of WA State Ferries called to report orcas off Restoration Pt.

11:17 a.m. - Just had a series of breaches and several calves. Looks like T037A's. Hard to get other ID's due to sun glare.
11:00 a.m. - Transients slowly trending south at Magnolia area. South of Discovery Park.
Renee Beitzel

Image from today's shenanigan's in Elliot Bay with the T037A's and co. Photo by Renee Beitzel, August 18, 2015

T037As surface in front of Space Needle. Photo by Renee Beitzel, August 18, 2015

Breach in Elliot Bay with Magnolia bluff in background. Photo by Renee Beitzel, August 18, 2015

6:30 a.m. - Near Emonds, WA this morning , traveling southbound, on Edmonds side. Photo by Toby Black, August 18, 2015

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We watched  the T37's, 124A's, and 18's torture a harbour seal  at Zero Rock this afternoon. Photo by Mark Malleson, August 17, 2015

Transient superpod this afternoon?! Yes please! The T018/19's, T034's, T37's (both A and B groups), and the T124A's killed helps of seals today off zero rocks, BC -- all just across the strait from the resident orcas!
Heather MacIntyre

You never know what's going to happen during a transient superpod- especially when their in a feeding frenzy! These whale surprised us all just before one of our guests proposed to his girlfriend! Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 17, 2015

T019B and T019C Photo by Heather MacIntyre, August 17, 2015

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4:40 pm - 5-6 orcas has been traveling between Pay Bay and south tip of Vancouver Island for the past 5 hours.
Karen Gray

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We received a call from Eric Hudnell , reporting a pod of 4 - 5 orcas ~5 miles offshore of Ocean Shores, WA on August 13th, sighted while he was salmon fishing. One large male,one calf and several females in the pod. (ID'd as the T65As by Sara Hysong-Shimazu, Marine Naturalist and ON volunteer)

August 13

9:30 a.m. - Cool!  Beautiful humpback at my rock! ( between Eagle Point and False Bay )   Swimming out towards Hein Bank now.
Jenny Stands Wilson

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...we also had a humpback outside of Friday Harbor ALL day, three more humpbacks down near McArthur Bank. (AND a DOUBLE breach)
Katie Jones

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...we had news of a humpback whale by Salmon Bank and after finding him/her, we witnessed the large "hump"back and flukes several times. Photo by Jill Hein, August 17, 2015

Photo by Jill Hein, August 17, 2015

 

August 18  

Sending you a short video my husband Don Kernan made of the Grey whale.
We named her "Sunshine " for now, she or he has been here at the Sunshine Coast for many weeks now. Location Snicket park, Sechelt BC, Canada. See video HERE.
Cornelia van Berkel, Sechelt BC